Review Time

By now the routine is down! The alarm clock goes off, breakfast is fixed, backpacks are loaded (“Has anyone seen my math homework?” “I can’t find my history book!”) At last the car is loaded and another day of school is off and running.

Even in classes there has been a routine. Roll is called so the teacher can learn all the names; all the extra-curricular activities are getting underway; there has even been a pep rally! And of course the teachers have spent the last few weeks reminding students of all the things they learned last year but somehow misplaced during summer vacation.

I remember those day sitting in class (for me it was always a math class) when the teacher (or professor) would say, “You learned this last year, so let’s review quickly…” And before I could figure out what he was saying, and discover that not only did I not remember the information I didn’t even remember learning it in the first place—we had moved on to something new!
And I wonder why I am not a nuclear physicist!

Teachers understand that we need to review the information! Students need to hear again the things we taught them last year—even if they know it, because it still serves as the base for everything that is going to happen this year. We know that!

Except when it comes to talking with our children about sex.  I mean, after all, didn’t his father talk to him last year when they went to the football game? They had “The Talk!” Didn’t her mother tell her about all that stuff. Our daughter doesn’t need to be reminded. We told her.

As adults we often forget that sexuality isn’t “The Talk,” but an ongoing conversation. The Middle Schooler who dared ask a question about plumbing now needs to have a conversation about values, and decision-making. That girl who thought boys were yucky in Elementary school is now getting calls from High School Seniors and is really flattered by it, but still can’t quite figure out what is going on.

Even though they act like they know it all (and didn’t we???) they are just as terrified and confused as I was when our calculus professor started talking about Max-Min problems. (I still don’t know what he was talking about!) But he took the time to review—and I remember that!

As parents, maybe this is the time for us to do a review as well. Use the teacher line, “I know you already know this and we have talked about this before, but…” Your kids will roll their eyes, say, “Oh Dad I know that!”

But they will be grateful. Because they really don’t know where their prostate gland is or how to tell that senior that they are just not comfortable with what he is asking. All their other teachers are reviewing. Maybe we as their most important teachers, their parents, need to do some reviewing as well!

by: Don Flowers, Former Board Chair and Pastor of Providence Baptist Church
contact Don: don@providencecharleston.org

Poverty in America

Given the slow and halting pace of recovery from the Great Recession, it is not surprising that the US Census report on poverty in America showed a significant increase in the percent of people living in poverty – 14.3% compared to 13.2% in 2008. What does it mean to be counted as poor? In 2009, a family of two adults and two children would be considered poor if the household income was below $21,756.

The poverty rate has not been higher in the past 15 years, since 1994. Poverty data isn’t available for South Carolina from 2009, but judging from past trends, South Carolina’s rates are likely to be far higher than the national rates of poverty. Regionally, the South (including South Carolina) had 15.7% of people living in poverty in 2009.

As is typically the case, more children suffer from poverty than any other age group – 20.7% of children under the age of 18 live in poverty across the country compared to 12.9% of people between the ages of 18-64. We know that childhood poverty is linked to academic, emotional, social and physical problems (see ChildTrends Poverty and Children 2009) and we know that teen pregnancy is inextricably linked to poverty. Two-thirds of families begun by young unmarried mothers are poor. Teen pregnancy is the leading cause of high school dropout among girls and only 38% of mothers who have children before the age of 18 will earn a high school diploma. Poor education leads to poor employment possibilities and about a quarter of teen moms will receive public assistance within three years of their child being born (see National Campaign Why it Matters for these stats and more information on the connection between teen pregnancy and poverty).

While there are many ways to address poverty in America, from job training and education to restructuring public assistance, we know that teen parenthood tremendously burdens young people. While the poverty news is not good, what is good news is that for the first time, an unprecedented amount of federal funding will be travelling to communities across the country to tackle teen pregnancy. If successful, fewer young people will have to struggle with teen pregnancy, which could greatly improve their chances to avoid poverty.

by: Shannon Flynn, Director of Research & Evaluation, SC Campaign
contact Shanon: sflynn@teenpregnancysc.org

A Debate for Children and Families

Sorry for the lengthy post today, but I have been representing the SC Campaign on a committee that is planning a gubernatorial debate focused on issues that relate to children and healthy families. At this point each gubernatorial candidate has been invited to attend, but neither has responded. My hope is that both Representative Haley and Senator Sheheen will want to discuss these critically important issues. Below are the questions that each candidate was given when asked to participate.

FAMILY SECURITY

1. According to the Federation of Tax Administrators, South Carolina has the lowest corporate tax rates in the southeast and, Forbes lists us as the third best regulatory environment in the nation. A key component of sustainable business and economic development is driven by the quality of life in communities. This includes ensuring the communities are safe and healthy, the children have equal access to high-quality education, and there remains on-going secondary education and training opportunities for a new workforce. As governor, how will you seek to make South Carolina communities more competitive for new economic opportunities?

2. South Carolina’s unemployment rate has remained greater than 10 percent since the beginning of the economic recession. In some counties, the rate is double. As governor, what would be your plan to increase job availability across the state?

3. The economic recession has threatened families’ securities and placed a greater demand on social safety nets. Enrollment for temporary assistance programs has increased by more than 20,000, and by more than 200,000 for food supports. A February 2010 Winthrop Poll found that over the past 12 months 1 out of 5 South Carolinians felt that food would run out in their home before being able to afford more. As governor, how would you seek to enhance these essential family supports and ameliorate the security of families?

4. The South Carolina Tax Realignment Advisory Committee will be reporting their recommendations to the General Assembly this fall. As governor, how will you seek tax reform in a fashion that promotes economic development and secure stability for the state’s population?
5. Many families seeking employment struggle with obtaining, and affording, appropriate childcare facilities; yet only 20 percent of eligible families receive ABC childcare vouchers. As governor, how would you seek to promote greater utilization of the vouchers allowing individuals to return to work when jobs are available?

EDUCATION

1. A recent report published by the National Institute for Early Education ranked South Carolina 10th in access to early education, and 37th in terms of quality out of the 38 states who provide support for early education. As governor, how would you enhance the quality of early childhood education across the state?

2. In 2006, the General Assembly approved Act 388 altering the funding base for schools away from property taxes to a one-cent sales tax. Economic forecasts demonstrate this has resulted in $1 billion less in educational funding. As governor, what is your position on educational financing providing an equitable structure for all children in the state?

3. Budget cuts have resulted in more than 4,000 education positions lost over the past two years resulting in larger classrooms, loss of afterschool supports, and reduced services for at-risk students. As governor, how do you plan to work collectively with both the next Superintendent of Education and the General Assembly towards restoring South Carolina’s educational framework?

4. The State Department of Education reports a high school graduation rate of less than 60 percent. This marks South Carolina with one of the lowest rates in the country. The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, recognizing the importance of education as economic development, has embraced the goal of reducing the dropout rate by 50 percent. As governor, what approach would you take to providing optimal educational success for youth and strengthening graduation rates?

5. State funding for post-secondary education has decreased substantially leading to higher tuition across South Carolina and the United States. As governor, what would you do to position South Carolina colleges, universities and technical colleges to ensure a more dedicated and prepared citizen population, and workforce, across the state?

HEALTH

1. The state Department of Health and Human Services is currently projected to begin running a deficit by early summer 2011. As governor, how do you propose to restore fiscal strength to the agency while also securing all appropriate and essential health care services for South Carolina’s eligible citizens?

2. South Carolina ranks number one in the nation for children’s oral health care delivery. Yet, fewer than 16,000 of the eligible 100,000 children have enrolled in Healthy Connections since the expansion up to 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($22,050 for a family of four). As governor, what will you do to promote a child health delivery system that ensures children receive primary, preventative and comprehensive health care services they need?

3. Nearly 30 percent of South Carolina’s population is obese. For children, this rate is at 15 percent. As governor, how would your administration seek to address obesity of children and adults?

4. Studies indicate anywhere from 8-12% of children and youth have mental health concerns and 3-6% have serious emotional problems. More than two-thirds of all children in out-of-home care are there because of mental health or substance abuse challenges. As governor, how will you address the concerns of families confronting mental illness or substance abuse?

5. In 1988, the Comprehensive Health Education Act passed allowing South Carolina students to receive an age-appropriate, comprehensive, health education program in middle and high school. The statute requires high levels of involvement from local communities, although many schools are still not in compliance and are not providing the required information. As governor, what measures would you seek to ensure schools follow the legislative intent, and what other strategies would you pursue to address high rates of teen pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases?

CHILD SAFETY AND STABILTY

1. More than 12,000 children are abused or neglected each year in South Carolina. Of these, more than 5,000 children are in foster care on any given day with the average length of stay more than three years before finding a permanent home. As governor, what will be your approaches toward safely reducing the number of children in foster care?

2. As governor, what will your administration’s direction be for keeping children safe and secure with their families—where appropriate, and in securing appropriate foster and adoptive homes—when necessary?

3. South Carolina has experienced record number of adoptions over the past two years—exceeding 500 each year. As governor, will you seek to continue the Department of Social Services’ efforts towards permanency including through enhanced recruitment of foster parents and outreach to kin-care providers?

4. South Carolina relies heavily on federal support for operation of its child welfare system. Current federal law, however, provides little support for prevention based initiatives and does not provide for reimbursement for all children living in foster care. As governor, how will you seek to work with other governors in reforming the financing of child welfare services in a fashion that allows for proven investments in prevention, intervention and aftercare?

5. Absent fathers are one of the more pressing social concerns in the state. Engaged fathers allow for greater child development, serve as a poverty reduction strategy, and are economic generators. As governor, what strategies will your administration support for the promotion of responsible fatherhood?

THE GOVERNOR AND CHILDREN
Parents are their children’s most important teachers and strong communities are needed to support families in this role. Government cannot—and should not—serve as a substitute for a child’s family and community. However, too many South Carolina families struggle to provide the nurturing and stable home environment all children need. Through poverty, parental stress, depression, addiction, or mental illness, too many children are vulnerable to a host of poor child outcomes. Increased mobility and family stress have also produced what some have called a “breakdown of the family.” The media and negative role models have contributed to risky youth behavior. Government cannot solve these issues alone, although leaders within government can establish a vision and direction for strengthening and supporting families’ throughout life.

As governor, how will you, and your administration, prioritize children and families in South Carolina?

written by: Cayci Banks, Director of Communications
contact Cayci: cbanks@teenpregnancysc.org 

Palin's Performance Review

Pop Quiz! What do the following people have in common: Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Snooki, Bristol Palin? (Cue Jeopardy music….)….Dum da dum dumdum Dum da dum….Give up? They are all famous for being…well, themselves.

That’s right, the four ladies mentioned above are not famous for their singing voices, their acting, or even their philanthropy. They are famous because for some reason, the world thinks their lives are more interesting than the average person’s. There is one out of the bunch that stands out though, and no, it isn’t Snooki (although where would she blend in?). Bristol Palin isn’t famous for being a socialite on the party circuit or for any night vision video. She is famous for being pregnant as a teen and becoming a teen mom.

Teen pregnancy isn’t rare, it isn’t funny, and it isn’t the stuff for reality TV however, Bristol has become a household name because she “embraced” her situation and had her child. However, she comes from a nice home where her family supports her decisions, along with her baby, Tripp. Now America wants to see if she can dance, but has anyone checked to see if she can parent?

We have seen a lot of Bristol over the last few years. She has been in PSA’s for the Candies Foundation, been featured by countless news shows, and has even participated in a few cover stories about her situation with her “baby daddy”, Levi Johnston (that’s a story for another blog!). Bristol Palin has started her career in being famous, but what has happened to baby Tripp?

Wouldn’t it be amazing if all young mothers and fathers had the opportunities that Bristol Palin has? But instead of flying off to California, they are working two or three jobs, trying to keep a roof over their heads, trying to keep themselves and their babies fed for another day. The young people may not have adults to help them out, and many may be trying to reconnect with family and friends that may have disappeared because they had their baby so young. These young people are never going to be on TV, because the reality for most teen parents is not fun or entertaining. Their lives are hard as they struggle to make ends meet. When a mother chooses formula over food for herself, that’s not Hollywood’s version of reality, that’s life. The teen moms and dads make mistakes and have setbacks, but no one is docking points-because there is no trophy at the end. So when we make young people famous, let’s make them famous for making it in the real “reality” first. Give Bristol a chance to prove herself as a mother, and then on the dance floor.